Urgent Appeal 2026

URGENT: Help the Gardens Trust adapt and continue protecting historic parks and gardens

As you may already have seen in our communications last Monday, the Government has made the devastating decision to remove the Gardens Trust’s statutory consultee role.

This ends our automatic right to be consulted on planning applications affecting registered parks and gardens, including their setting. This is a significant change to the way historic designed landscapes are considered within the planning system, and a substantial weakening of their protection. The Gardens Trust has been a statutory consultee for three decades, and this change is seismic for all of us.

However, thanks to our collective advocacy since the Government’s initial proposal last year, some protection will now remain as we will still be notified of planning applications within parks and gardens. It is, though, of deep concern that this will not include applications affecting their setting and we are now working actively with the Government ministries to find ways to help mitigate this heritage protection gap. While the system has changed, our mission has not.

Historic parks and gardens remain our nation’s most valued cultural and environmental assets. They support biodiversity, contribute to local economies, improve health and wellbeing, and provide spaces for communities to connect with nature and heritage. Many of these places have been shaped over centuries and once lost, their character and significance cannot be restored.

The Gardens Trust is determined to continue standing up for these landscapes. Our small and dedicated team is already working to develop new ways of operating in this changed environment. As ever, difficult times bring opportunity as well as threats, and we are working collaboratively and strategically to develop these opportunities – we will share more when we can.

But this transition will take time, resources and support.

How you can help

We are launching a new Adaptation Fund to help the Gardens Trust navigate the coming months and ensure that our unique work protecting historic parks and gardens can continue.

Your donation could help us:

• Develop new systems to monitor planning applications affecting the setting of historic parks and gardens
• Provide refocused guidance and support to Local Planning Authorities, County Gardens Trusts and local communities responding to developments
• Continue offering expert advice and advocacy for vulnerable landscapes, making the most of our now-increased profile
• Strengthen partnerships across the heritage and planning sectors by ensuring that we have the resource to be at the key ‘tables’
• Ensure that historic parks and gardens remain part of national conversations about growth, health and the environment, particularly through events, publications and social media

With your support, the Gardens Trust can continue to champion the landscapes that enrich so many of our lives.

Please donate today

Your generosity in supporting the Fighting Fund helped us over the last year to successfully make the case for retaining a role in the planning system: the Government’s decision is disappointing but could have been even worse. We are incredibly grateful for your support.

Now we must ask for your help once again.

Your donation, large or small, can help ensure that the Gardens Trust can adapt, remain resilient, and continue protecting the historic parks and gardens that matter so much to communities across the country.

We are increasingly excited by the opportunities in the months ahead – please help secure our future.